89: Encounter during patrol

The next day, the weather was fine. Qin Feng fulfilled his duties as a deacon and began inspecting the various properties of the Hundred Flowers Palace in West Lake City.

He first visited the "Thousand Gold Workshop," which was still bustling with people but had returned to a normal atmosphere. Liu Laosi was stationed there; upon seeing Qin Feng, he immediately stepped forward to bow respectfully and report on the recent situation. Everything was in perfect order. Qin Feng offered a few words of encouragement and didn't stay long.

Next, he went to the "Pear Garden" theater. A newly rehearsed scene was being performed on stage, the singing was melodious, and the seats below were fully occupied. Steward Rong accompanied him, introducing the newly hired lead actors and recent revenue; the situation was quite optimistic.

As for the two brothels, "Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion" and "Red Sleeve Court"... Qin Feng stood at the street corner and glanced from afar at the pavilions filled with singing and dancing, the scent of cosmetics wafting through the air. Ultimately, he decided not to enter.

It wasn't that he was acting aloof; it was just... a bit of a headache. He didn't know if that girl Xiao Chun had stayed in the medical clinic for too long, but she had developed a nose as sensitive as a certain canine species. He had been caught twice before in Star South City.

In this West Lake City, the few times he had gone to the brothels to handle business, he had stayed for less than half an hour. Yet upon his return, Xiao Chun would circle him, sniffing for ages, her little mouth pouting enough to hang an oil bottle. She would be sulky for a whole day, and he would have to bring out a newly bought sugar figurine just to barely coax her into a better mood.

"If I go back covered in the scent of powder and rouge again, I'm afraid it'll take quite some effort to coax her..." Qin Feng shook his head helplessly and decided to delegate the inspection of the brothels to Steward Rong. It was better for him to avoid suspicion.

After finishing the inspection, it was nearly noon. Feeling a bit hungry, Qin Feng strolled into "Lake-View Tower," an elegant restaurant by the West Lake, intending to have some lunch and see how the food in West Lake City compared.

He sat at a window seat on the second floor and ordered several local specialties: a plate of crystal-clear shrimp soup dumplings, a steaming bowl of Pian Er Chuan noodles, and a plate of Dingsheng cakes.

The dishes were served, their aroma filling the air. Just as Qin Feng was about to pick up his chopsticks, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure sitting at a table diagonally opposite him, leaning against a pillar.

It was a young girl wearing a plain blue cloth skirt. Her iconic twin ponytails remained unchanged; she was the Gold Medal Assassin of the Blood-Filled Tower he had met only yesterday—Qing Xue, or rather, Ji Ruxue.

At this moment, she was a completely different person from the cold assassin of yesterday. The table before her was covered with all sorts of pastries and snacks: Dingsheng cakes, lotus flower crisps, Longjing tea cakes, Wushan shortbread... there were probably seven or eight varieties in total. She was burying her head in her food, a piece of shortbread in one hand and a cup of almond tea in the other. Her cheeks were bulging as she ate, her eyes squinting in satisfaction like a little cat that had successfully stolen a treat.

Qin Feng found it somewhat amusing. Recalling the description of her "foodie" trait in last night's intelligence, it was indeed true.

Perhaps feeling his gaze, Qing Xue suddenly looked up, her sharp eyes instantly locking onto Qin Feng. When she saw it was him, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, which she quickly replaced with her usual coldness. However, with a bit of pastry crumbs still stuck to the corner of her mouth, she looked rather comical.

She quickly wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and glared fiercely at Qin Feng, seemingly warning him not to mind other people's business.

Qin Feng found it amusing, picked up his shrimp soup dumplings and Dingsheng cakes, walked to her table, and asked with a smile, "Miss Qing Xue, what a coincidence. Eating so much by yourself? Would you like to share? I have some here..."

"Hmph!" Qing Xue snorted coldly and turned her head away, her voice kept extremely low. "Who wants to eat with you! I'm on a mission!"

"A mission?" Qin Feng was startled. He looked in the direction she had occasionally glanced earlier: two men in brocade robes, dressed like ordinary wealthy Young Masters, were sitting at a neighboring table. Their behavior seemed normal, but when their eyes occasionally met, a trace of subtle shrewdness and vigilance would flicker through.

"You're not planning to..." Qin Feng made a throat-slitting gesture and asked in a low voice.

Qing Xue rolled her eyes at him and whispered crossly, "Do you think we in the Blood-Filled Tower only take money to kill? Gathering intelligence, tracking targets, searching for specific treasures... we take those commissions too! It's just that our business isn't as messy as the Green Robe Tower's, and our threshold is higher."

She paused and warned again, "Hey! I'm warning you, stay away from me, don't follow me, and definitely don't try to pry into or ruin my mission! Otherwise... watch out, I won't be easy on you!"

As she spoke, she even shook her little fist threateningly. Combined with her bulging cheeks and the crumbs at the corner of her mouth, she wasn't intimidating at all; instead, she looked rather cute.

Just then, the two men in brocade robes at the next table seemed to have finished their meal. They stood up to pay the bill and prepared to leave.

Qing Xue's eyes narrowed. She immediately put down her pastries, stood up quickly but naturally, placed a few coins on the table, and followed them out. Before leaving, she didn't forget to turn back and glare fiercely at Qin Feng. The meaning in her eyes was clear—don't get in the way!

Qin Feng watched her petite yet agile figure blend into the crowd downstairs as she silently followed the two men, and he couldn't help but shake his head.

This Gold Medal Assassin of the Blood-Filled Tower was professional when executing missions, but her hobby... the gap was just too adorable.

He returned to his seat and continued enjoying his unfinished lunch, but he felt a hint of curiosity about Qing Xue's mission. Who were those two men in brocade robes? Were they important enough for the Blood-Filled Tower to send a Gold Medal Assassin to track and investigate them?

However, he also knew the rules of the Jianghu and didn't want to invite trouble for no reason. Since Qing Xue had already warned him, he naturally wouldn't meddle.

It was just that West Lake City seemed to have returned to its former peace, but the undercurrents beneath the surface never seemed to have truly stopped. Although the Cao Gang was currently lying low, the shadow of the Northern Demonic Sect and other forces hidden in the darkness were still quietly active in this prosperous city.

After finishing lunch, Qin Feng paid the bill and walked out of the Lake-View Tower. Sunlight spilled over the West Lake, the water shimmering and tourists swarming, a scene of peace and prosperity.

But he knew that beneath this peaceful scene, undercurrents were still surging. And he needed to continue moving forward between this peace and the undercurrents, constantly improving his strength to deal with any future storms. Perhaps it was time to consider returning to Star South City to see his Master and Xiao Chun's father? He wondered how they had been faring this past year.